


Among Sheep

by Lunneus



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Inadvertently calls his friends sheep but doesn't mean it that way, Slightly Dark!Akira, The rest of the gang is there too but not mentioned directly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 12:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10944969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunneus/pseuds/Lunneus
Summary: There are different sides to the leader of the Phantom Thieves.Most know Akira Kurusu, the soft spoken High Schooler.Fewer knew Joker, the smug and over-confidant Thief.But there was something else, something deeper and more sinister.And now that Goro Akechi had seen pieces of it, he couldn't help to grasp for the full picture.





	Among Sheep

**Author's Note:**

> Haha i wrote this at 2am rip
> 
> It was inspired by some little quirks i noticed about Joker (that im probably reading too much into). Like why his eyes turn red in his all out attack finisher. I don't think anyone else's eyes change that drastically in color.  
> I also noticed how upset he sounds when an attack that would've hit a foe's weakness and killed it misses. The way he growls out 'Damnit' really reminded me of a certain black masked boss.
> 
> So yeah, here's some slightly dark Akira and some maybe a bit too loose lipped Goro.
> 
>  
> 
> bonus points if you know what tool Joker's trying to get materials for lol

There were certain perks to being the Detective Prince. Perks Goro Akechi had put to use during his... work. Perks like having access to police files, like having as much free time from school as he needed, and, most importantly, noting the most subtle of things. Things that no one else would ever notice, not even after months of being exposed to it. But Goro, Goro noticed it the first time he went into mementos with the infamous phantom thieves; the face behind Akira Kurusu and Joker.

 

According to Futaba, they were in the latter floors of Mementos, apparently searching for some material Joker needed to make infiltration tools. He didn't really care what they were here for, really, he just wanted more information on them, on Joker, so he could eventually do his job. It's why he rarely complained of being tired and participated in battle as much as possible, always keeping an eye on the Phantom's leader. That's when he noticed it, that tiny little reveal of the real person hidden underneath. The person Arsene called to.

 

As impassive as Joker was, Goro noted, he truly enjoyed defeat-- no, killing shadows. That's what it was; killing. Who better than Goro himself know the telltale glint of a killer's eyes, their movements calculated precisely to kill, and the small, elated grin when the task was finally complete. Yes, Goro knew these small notions well and he could see them just as easily as the sun in the sky. That's how he got that first glimpse into the real Akira Kurusu and now he was determined to find more, determined to uncover his every secret so he'd be prepared for his tricks when the time came to put a bullet in his skull. There had to be more to 'Joker' than just his wild card ability.

 

Goro wondered, though, why he hadn't seen this in the previous times they ventured into Sae-san's palace? He fought with them then too, against much stronger foes than these Anubis, so why was the killer within so docile then? Perhaps, Goro figured, perhaps he held himself back there, in a place where he could do real damage. The shadows within palaces are connected to the Ruler's psyche after all, slaughtering them endlessly might prove detrimental at some point and oh what a blemish that would be on the righteous Phantom Thieves' name. But here, in mementos, where shadows roamed the great mass of the human psyche, there was so much more freedom to let a killer run free, or at least freer. Akira still wouldn't show that side to his team mates. They were so soft though, it'd probably frighten them away if they knew the nature of their leader. He'd have to get Akira alone.

 

\---

 

They went into mementos or the palace quite a few times that week. Either to obtain extra treasure to buy better weapons or to collect more items for this mysterious infiltration tool. None the less, it meant Goro had no chances to get Akira alone in mementos... until today. He contacted the Trickster with a request he hoped wouldn't be too suspicious.

 

**Akechi Goro** : I have a rather strange request.

**Kurusu Akira** : Shoot

 

Goro couldn't help but scoff and shake his head, a tiny little coil of fondness trying to make its way into his chest at Akira's seemingly constant state of nonchalant.

 

**Akechi Goro** : I feel as if I may be lagging behind the other a bit in experience.

**Akechi Goro** : Could the two of us perchance venture into Mementos today?

**Akechi Goro** : Not the latter part, but perhaps the upper floors?

 

It took a moment for Akira to respond. Was he too forward? Or maybe he saw through his ruse. Akira was nearly as sharp as he was, nearly. He started sorting through ways to back out of this situation without raising suspicion when his phone pinged again.

 

**Kurusu Akira** : Sure, meet at the station at 16:00?

**Akechi Goro** : Splendid, I will see you then.

 

That was surprisingly easy. He thought to himself. Almost too easy, or perhaps he was over thinking things again. After all, he was careful to hide his true motive under his prim and proper guise. There was no way Akira could see through that, he'd been honing it for years. Goro glanced at the clock, noting he still had a couple hours before meeting with Akira. Ample time to lay out his plan.

 

\---

 

Once inside mementos, Akira let out a long sigh before shoving his hands into his pockets and assuming his usual slouch.

 

“It took a lot of explaining to get Morgana to let me go in here with you. He kept saying we'd be in here forever if we went on foot and all that.” Akira look at Goro calmly once he finished, somehow expecting and not expecting a response to his odd request.

 

“I'm.. sorry to cause trouble. If you'd rather we return, that's fine. But I feel it would be inefficient since we're al--” Goro stopped short when Akira waved a hand lazily at him before returning it to his pocket and starting towards the escalator down with Goro following behind.

 

“Nah, don't worry about it. Extra experience is always... good. Besides, you could use some work on your teamwork.” Goro couldn't see Akira's face as they descended into the depths, but he could almost hear the smirk plastered on his face and it took everything in him not the shove the thief down the stars and end this charade, but that pause peeked his interest.

 

“...My sentiments exactly.” Goro replied with a fake smile.

 

The first floor of mementos was different on foot than in a car, but the shadows were still the same; weaklings not exactly worth their time, though on foot it would be a hassle going any lower. As the pair made their way around the bend of the first branching paths, Akira suddenly stopped short, his body tense like a coiled spring. Goro peeked carefully around him and saw the hulking mass of a shadow lumbering towards them. It wasn't that this thing was a threat at all, but if it sensed their strength it would flee far faster than they could keep up, hence the ambush.

 

When the shadow finally drew close enough, and then turned its back again, Akira nodded his head toward the shadow, indicating now was he time to move, and dashed over to the shadow in a black streak. Goro moved forward too, but lagged slightly behind to watch Akira's work with the shadow that was twice the size of the ones in palaces.

 

Akira moved near silently up behind the shadow he body, once a tightly coiled spring, now flowed like water and the all but glided up the back of the to grip what seemed to be it's right shoulder. The amalgam panicked, not knowing what was suddenly going and trying vainly to fight back, but it was too late. Using that same deadly grace, Akira hoisted himself over the thing's shoulder, his hand quickly gripping the Shadow's mask tightly and, with a jerking motion, twisted his upper body left, ripping the mask cleanly off, before following the motion and landing on his feet beside the melting beast.

 

Goro was at his side in an instant weapon drawn and ready as Akira dropped the mask and pulled out his knife. Goro glanced over and sure enough, he saw the little grin he wore and the beastly glint in his eyes. However, the excitement was short lived. The mask disintegrate don the ground and the shadow's body evaporated into nothing. The amount of power Akira put into ripping off the mask had prematurely killed the thing. A small part of Goro was afraid of this Akira, this killer, but another part of him was somehow elated that he wasn't the only one who relished in their power. Though perhaps Akira was a bit more subtle than he was.

 

Akira's smile dropped back into that blank facade, as did his eyes. He tried to hide it, but Goro could feel the trickster's disappointment as he turned to him.

 

“Guess I pulled too hard.” Akira said nonchalantly “There's probably another one nearby though.” Akira moved passed Goro and down another fork in the path with Goro following behind automatically.

 

“It's quite alright. We are fairly strong, after all. I wouldn't be surprised if we needed to attack them first.” Goro caught himself at that. He hoped he hadn't let it spill too much that he knew of mementos and how to deal with shadows. Perhaps Akira would let it slide as a simple observation from their previous venture as a group.

 

 

Akira turned at looked at him, studying his face, well what he could see behind the red crow mask, before smirking slightly and turning toward Goro “Nice, you learn quick. Kinda makes me wonder if we're really out here for training.” He stayed standing there, opposite Goro, with that same lazy stance. This time, his stare warranted a response and expected one.

 

“I believe I do. You yourself said I could use more teamwork training.” Goro laid his words out carefully, being mindful not to change his tempo or tone as it seemed Akira was suddenly growing suspicious... or had he always been suspicious?

 

Akira hummed to himself and glanced away, as if he was considering words himself. “That'd be better worked out with a team then, don't you think? We all fight differently, learning to work with me won't help working with the others. Or...” Akira stalked toward Goro, his eyes didn't read it yet, he kept them carefully blank, but his body language suggested that of a predator close to cornering its prey. “are you interested in how I fight specifically?”

 

That caught Goro off guard. This wasn't going according to plan. He wasn't supposed to figure him out, especially not this early. He didn't plan on how to back out of this part, it's took dangerous to back out here. If Akira found him out completely and they got into a fight severe enough it could lead to both of them dead either to each other or the shadows. He didn't plan for this.

 

Akira smirked and let his shoulder relax a bit, dropping some of he predatory stance but still imposing, or would have been if Goro hadn't regained his composure. Well, if he'd been caught then he may at well try to get his answer another way, seeing as the shadows here would much too weak.

 

“You're lying to them, aren't you?” He was still carefully picking his words so as not to reveal himself. “I can see it from time to time, right before you ambush, when you strike down a shadow in one blow, and when take them out with a clean shot or swing of your blade. I also see if fade when they aren't challenging enough for you.” Goro paused for another moment, grooming over his words before deciding. “You can take off that mask here, you know. I made a deal with you, did I not? I will cooperate until with change Sae-san's heart. Your delight in slaying shadows will not deter me, Joker.”

 

Akira stared at him, body stiff and eyes calculating. What he was calculating exactly was a mystery but something was going on in there and Goro would be damned if eh didn't find out before the left this place. He needed this information!

 

Finally, Akira made a move. He blinked slowly and let out a long suffer sigh as he opened his eyes, locking them directly with Goro's. A grin crossed the Trickster's fact and his eyes had a cold gleam to them, piercing and calculating. If Goro were anyone else he would have shrunken back and the stare so unlike Akira Kurusu.

 

“If were taking off masks here, maybe you should lose yours too, Detective Prince.” That... Goro wasn't expecting that. How did... “No one's that prim and proper all the time. It's a little annoying, actually. I'd like to see the real you. It can't be worse than the fearless leader who enjoys destroying shadows.”

 

Goro paused for a moment. He was worse, much worse. He enjoyed destroying human shadows, causing mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, plotting to murder a high schooler.

 

“I see... so this is another deal then? I drop my mask and you drop yours?” Goro raised his hand to his chink as he normally did when mulling his options “What if I told you I was just the same, that these battles in the metaverse, including the one against the black masked user, that I enjoyed all of them? That I enjoyed the rush of power form calling my persona and striking down these weak shadows that never stood a chance in hell?” This was getting dangerously close to the truth, but something inside of him wanted this connection, even more so than he wanted information.

 

Akira stood before him, processing the information with a blank stare before straitening his back, smirking, and walking toward, then slightly past Goro before reaching out to clap a hand lightly on the detective's shoulder.

 

“Then I'd say we're like wolves among sheep, huh?” They made eye contact again and Goro again saw that dangerous look in Akira's eyes, and he's certain he saw the same look mirrored back at him. So... that was his answer. “Let's get out of here, these guys are too weak to be useful. I kinda want to play some video games anyway.” And with that, Akira released his shoulder and walked toward the entrance to the floor, stopping briefly as he waited for Goro to follow after him.

 

It was amazing. Goro couldn't understand how Akira Kurusu went from killer to high schooler in less than a second and with barely any shift in atmosphere. He stood there, stunned for a moment before gathering himself and following after his temporary team mate. He'd gained a lot of useful information today but.. a part of him regrets that he found it.

 

It's more difficult to kill someone you sympathize with, after all.

 


End file.
